Child Safe Cordless Solutions Explained

Design that keeps up with life  year during Window Covering Safety Month, industry groups and advocacy organizations remind families in Arizona, Southern California, and beyond of the hidden risks that operational cords on blinds, shades, draperies, and other window treatments pose to young children. Even when pulled closed, these dangling cords can become dangerous strangulation hazards for curious infants and toddlers who lack the motor skills to free themselves. Tragically, these unsupervised children often lose their lives to strangulation in just a few seconds or less.

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Fortunately, dangling operational cords can be eliminated in any home by choosing blinds and shades with child-safe designs. These products utilize spring-loaded mechanisms or integrated handles that eliminate cord loops, providing superior child safety while preserving the operation and aesthetics of traditional pull cords. In some cases, these systems cost 10-20% less than corded options and may allow for easier operation of very large or heavy treatments.

In addition to eliminating dangling cords, these child-safe designs offer a range of other safety features that meet or exceed key national standards. These include tethering systems that prevent accidental opening or closing, a cord tensioner that keeps cords short when not in use, and breakaway cord connectors that eliminate sagging.

Of course, not all homes need or want to go completely cordless. The CPSC recommends that those who choose to keep corded window treatments simply move cribs, beds, or other furniture away from windows and make sure that all cords are as short as possible. For other homes, a combination of these measures can significantly reduce the risk of harm while maintaining the benefits that quality window coverings provide–energy efficiency, light control, privacy, and UV protection.